1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dental restorations. More particularly, the invention relates to temporary cement compositions and related kits and methods for temporarily bonding provisional dental restorative appliances.
2. The Relevant Technology
When a dental practitioner performs a procedure requiring the removal of a tooth or portion of a tooth, it is desirable to replace the tooth or tooth portion with a dental restorative appliance (e.g., a crown or bridge). Because permanent appliances typically take up to several weeks to prepare, the practitioner will sometimes fit a provisional appliance to replace the person's tooth until a permanent appliance is ready. The provisional appliance is intended to be a temporary prosthesis until a permanent appliance can be ordered and fabricated.
Because the provisional appliance is only intended for temporary use, it would be an improvement in the art to provide a cement composition and related kits and methods that are specifically configured for temporarily bonding a provisional appliance in place. Such a temporary cement would provide sufficient compressive strength and bonding strength to allow the patient to engage in typical use of their teeth (e.g., biting, chewing, etc.) while also having sufficiently low bonding strength characteristics so as to facilitate easily removal of the provisional appliance by the practitioner when it is desired to replace the provisional appliance with a permanent appliance.